Bowie and elijah j



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M. H. PLUNKETT. WATER TUBE BOILER.

No. 474,645. Patented May 10, 1892.

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MICHAEL H. PLUNKETT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY- ONEONE-HUNDREDTHS TO l/VASHINGTON BOWIE AND ELIJ AH J. BOND,

OF SAME PLACE.

WATER-TUBE BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,645, dated May 10,1892. Application filed April. 3, 1891. Serial No. 387,544. (No model.)

make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in vertical water-tubeboilers; the object being to provide a boiler that can be builtcylindrical and circular in form, dispensing with the flat or crowningtube-sheets a boiler that will reclaim and utilize part of the greatheat carried off into the smokestack; a boiler with a direct draftthrough the center, arranged so that the heated gases must circulatearound the tubes before entering the uptake, thus producing a thoroughmixture of the gases of combustion in passing through the boiler to thesmoke-stack, causing the heat to be detained and thoroughly distributedaround the tubes before escaping, without the use of deflecting-platesor other methods to divert the heat from one part of the boiler toanother, which is necessary in boilers having the smoke-flue on theside, as heat will go directly to the exit, wherever it may be, withoutcoming in contact with all the tubes and heating-surfaces, thus causinga great loss of heat of a high temperature, which in many cases willmelt antimony in the base of the smoke-stack.

The vertical water column used in this boiler is closed at both ends andsupported at the base from the side Walls of the boiler, with an openingaround the top between the top of the water column and the bottom of thetube-box for the escape of the products of combustion. This water columnhas a series of water-tubes connecting it to the tube-box, alsocirculating-pipes to keep up a circulation between it and thewater-space around boiler. The smoke-flue is placed in the center of theboiler and directly over the water column. By this arrangement theproducts of combusto the center escape.

tion are brought from all parts of the boiler,

circulating around a great number of tubes Through this centralsmoke-flue the center of the boiler can be entered from the top to cleanand repair it, and the Water column can be taken out and replaced in thesame manner without cutting the tube-box, moving the boiler, ordisturbing any of its connections. The water column is not attached tothe tube-box, nor does it rest on the boiler-foundation, but issupported at the base from the side walls of the boiler. By thisarrangement the water column and the tube-box are protected from anystrain due to expansion or contraction, the settling or changing offoundations, which frequently happens to all foundations, suchchangebeing a common occurance 011 board of ships in a heavy sea. If thewater column is attached to the tube-box the weight of the boiler andthe water it contains may be thrown on the tube-box. The space betweenthe top of the water column and the uptake is provided with a coilfeed-water heater to detain and reclaim heat passing out thesmoke-stack, thus utilizing heat that otherwise would be lost. Thecylindrical steam-drum is provided with two heads. The top one being putconvex in form requires no stays, and in place of a lower sheet there isprovided an inverted section of a cone to receive the tubes, this shapegiving strength and safety. The small end of this come, is placeddownward next the fire, thus forming a deep recess around the top of thecone where it connects to the inside sheet of the vertical water-leg ofthe boiler. This recess holds and transmits heat to the surroundingwater that otherwise would escape through the smoke-flue, and from thetop of this recess a series of steam-superheating tubes run into thesteam-drum, with an outlet into the uptake to keep up a circulation ofhot air in the tubes and recess.

The centrally-located smoke-flue used in this boiler gives alargeeffective area of heating-surface, super-heats the steam, reclaims andutilizes a great amount of heat passing out of the smoke-flue and tiestogether the convex top head and the lower conical tubebox. Thecylindrical and circular form of the steam-drum and tube-box does awaywith Y all flat surfaces and strengthens the whole structure.

Outside circulating-pipes are provided for the purpose of allowing afree, unobstructed, and rapid circulation (on the principle that heatedcurrents of water ascend while cooler ones descend) and to maintain asteady head of water, as all water-tube boilers with contractedwater-spaces will lift the water when driven hard under a heavy head ofsteam.

The water column is surrounded by the casting G where it comes incontact with the fire to protect it from the action of the fire,corrosion, and injury by fire-tools. This casting acts as a bearing-barfor the grate-bars, and, being open or sectional, admits a supply of airto the fire to support combustion and keep the casting from burning out.

The detaileddescriptionof the boiler is as follows, in which likeletters apply tolike parts:

Figur'el represents avertical view of my boiler in section. Fig. 2 is" aplan inpart sectionon-line X X, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the platewhich forms the water column. Fig. at isav'icw of the cone-shapedtube-box.

The-boiler rests on a base A with a vertical water-leg'B, which isconnected at the upper end with the cylindrical steanrdrum O and thecone-shaped" tube-box D, the uptake E passing through the center of thesteam-drum O. The vertical water column F is closed at both ends andrests on the support G. Two manhole-platesll hare provided for enteringwatercol'umn, top and bottom.

z' 'i 2' t" are horizontal. circulating-pipes connecting water columnand water-space around boiler.

K is" a circulating-pipe outside of boiler, connecting steam-drum O andlower part of water-leg or'boiler.

m m m m are a series of vertical watertubes connecting water column andtube-box.

N is a feed-water heater to heat the water entering boiler.

D is a cone-shaped tube-box with a deep recess around the top forreclaiming heat.

Oo'ar'e steam-superheating tubes with an outlet into the uptake.

P is an open space around top of water column for the escape of gasesand for entering the boiler to clean and repair it internall'y.

R is a protecting-plate around water column to protect it from theaction of the fire.

S is a manhole-plate in top head for entering steam-drum.

p 1) are tube-holes in water-column plate and cone tube box to receivewater-tubes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat'- ent, is

1. A vertical centrally-located water column closed at bot-h ends andfree to expand and contract and having a space above it for the productsof combustion to'pass to the central chimney, connected by L-shapedpipes, with one end to said water column and with the other end to theinverted-cone-shaped tube box, as shown and described.

2. A closed water column free to expand and contract and a centralchimney above it, in

combination with an annular water-space connected by horizontalcirculating-tubes to the water column and by L-shaped tubes to the conetube-box and steam-drum, as set forth.

3. In combination with a central closed water column connected byhorizontal tubes with the annular water-space and by L-shaped tubes tothe tube-box, the superheating-tubes extending from the top of saidtube-box into the steam-drum, and a central chimney, as

and for the purpose specified.

4. The superheating-tubes extending from the topof the tube-box into-thesteam-drum,

and a central chimney, in combination with a central closed water columnconnected by tubes with the annular water-space a'nd'the tube-box andsupported from'the wall of the boiler, all as shown and set forth.

5. In vertical boilers, a central closed water column connected byhorizontal circulating-tubes with the annular water-spaceof the boilerand by L-shapedtubeswith t'he'cone tube-box, in combination with theoutside circulating-tubes connected to top and bottom of saidwater-space, as shown and set forth.

6. A verticalwater-tube boiler having-there'- in an annular fire-box, incombination with a vertical centrally-located water column I closed atboth ends and supported at the base from the sidewalls or bottom of theboiler,

with an opening around the top of the water column between the columnand the tube-box toallow the products of combustionto-escape around thetubes tothe uptake,- as shown and described.

7. A vertical'water-tube boiler having therein an annular fire boxsurrounded by water, in combination with a vertical centrally-locatedwater column, a c'entrallylocated smoke-flue, a cone-shaped tube-box,with the Zsmall end of cone placed downward next the {fire, thus forminga deep recess upward and all around the top of the cone where itconnects to the vertical Water-leg of boiler for the purpose ofabsorbing heat detained'there in passing out through the uptake, asshown and described.

8. A vertical water-tube boiler having'therein an annular fire-boxsurrounded by water, in combination with a cone-shaped tube-box, avertical centrally located water column fine with a feed-water heater atits base extending downward to check the rapid escape .of heat that itmay be utilized in heating the feed-water entering the boiler, as shownand described.

9. A vertical water-tube boiler having therein an annular fire-boxsurrounded by water, in combination with a centrallylocated smoke-flue,a centrally-placed vertical water column closed at both ends andsupported at the base with an opening around the top of the column, witha cone-shaped tube-box having a series of vertical watertubes securedtherein and extending downward and entering the vertical water column atrightangles, connecting water column and cone-tube boX and steam-drum ofboiler, and also a series of steam-superheating tubes extending from thetop recess of the tube-box into the steamdrum, with an outlet into theuptake to keep up a circulation of hot air in tubes and re cess intube-box, as shown and described.

10. A Vertical water tube boiler having therein an annular fire-boxsurrounded by water, in combination with a centrally-l0- catedsmoke-flue, a cylindrical steam-drum having a convex top head and thelower head or tube-box cone-shaped, avertical centrallylocated watercolumn closed at both ends and supported from base of boiler, andprovided with protecting-plates where the fire rests against it toprevent injury by heater corrosion, as shown and described.

i 11. A vertical water tube boiler having therein an annular fire-boxsurrounded by water, in combination with a centrally-placed smoke-flue,a cone-shaped tube-box, a Vertical centrally-located water column closedat both ends and supported at the base, and provided withcirculating-pipes outside of the boiler to facilitate the circulation ofwater between the upper and lower parts of the boiler, as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

MICHAEL H. PLUNKETT. l/Vitnesses:

J NO. T. MADDOX, LoUIs DUN AN.

